Bacteriophage prevalence in the genus Azospirillum and analysis of the first genome sequence of an Azospirillum brasilense integrative phage.

ABSTRACT: The prevalence of bacteriophages was investigated in 24 strains of four species of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria belonging to the genus Azospirillum. Upon induction by mitomycin C, the release of phage particles was observed in 11 strains from three species. Transmission electron microscopy revealed two distinct sizes of particles, depending on the identity of the Azospirillum species, typical of the Siphoviridae family. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and hybridization experiments carried out on phage-encapsidated DNAs revealed that all phages isolated from A. lipoferum and A. doebereinerae strains had a size of about 10 kb whereas all phages isolated from A. brasilense strains displayed genome sizes ranging from 62 to 65 kb. Strong DNA hybridizing signals were shown for most phag

SUBMITTER: Boyer M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2227737 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature